Method of making a cap



March 11, 1969 R HU L ET AL 3,431,561

METHOD OF MAKING A CAP Filed July 26, 1965 INVENTOR5 BY #4 57 F044 ATTORNEYS United States atent 3,431,561 METHOD OF MAKING A CAP Raymond J. Hummel and Horst Ruhl, Grand Rapids, Mich., assignors to H & H Plastics Mfg. (10., Grand Rapids, Mich., a corporation of lllinois Filed July 26, 1965, Ser. No. 474,575 U.S. Cl. 2192 Int. Cl. A42c 1/00; B31b 1/00 1 Claim ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A method of making disposable plastic headwear caps having reinforcing side flaps, from plastic Web stock involving the steps of continuously folding up the edge portions of a tensioned, flexible, thermoplastic web while pulling it, then folding the web along its centerline so that the edge fold flaps are on the outside, and finally melt severing the fold web along its length into elongated sections and fusing the severed edges, forming a plurality of like plastic caps.

Another disadvantage of paper hats conventionally employed is that they are highly absorbent of any liquid, unlss specifically treated. Consequently, they will soak up materials in an undesirable manner. If they are specially treated, the expense of the product is even greater.

It is an object of this invention to provide a method of forming a disposable plastic hat enabling disposable hats of superior nonabsorbent self-supporting characteristics to be relatively inexpensively manufactured.

Another object of this invention is to provide a method and apparatus for continuously and rapidly forming disposable inexpensive plastic hats in mass production fashion.

Another object of this invention is to provide a novel disposable plastic hat formed from thermoplastic sheet material into an integral self-supporting construction.

These and other objects of this invention will become apparent upon studying the following specification in conjunction with the drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the novel apparatus and method for forming plastic disposable hats;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the apparatus in FIG. 1, taken from the opposite side of the apparatus;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the novel hat formed by the method and apparatus; and

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the hat in FIG. 3.

Referring now specifically to the drawings, particularly FIGS. 1 and 2, the complete apparatus includes a supporting framework 12 which may be of various forms and configurations, but is shown to include a pair of spaced, upright support pillars 14 and 16 and a pair of horizontal beams 18 and 20 connected thereto and supported on the pillars and additional legs 22.

The beams 18 and 20 support a rotational shaft 24 in journals, for mounting a reel 26 of wound thermoplastic film 28 which is to be formed into the hats. The thermoplastic film 28 is pulled from the reel and passes around a first rotational guide bar 30, then over a fold guiding cylindrical bar 3-2. This bar has a length which is equal to a portion of the width of the film strip 28 which is the strip width minus the width of the two fold fiaps formed on its edges. This cylindrical bar is mounted to a support block 34, preferably by rotational connection for minimal friction. The block 34 is suspended from a rod 36- secured to a mount 38 that is threadably attached to a transverse threaded shaft 40. The shaft extends between and is rotational with respect to pillars 14. and 16, having a rotational crank 42 on one end for adjustment of the fold guide bar transversely of the machine. The plastic web rides over this cylindrical bar to cause the fold lines to be formed there around when the edges are folded over by a pair of inwardly protruding, diagonal wire loops 44 and 46. These wire loops are secured to a transverse support bar 48 extending between the pillars. The wires extend toward each other generally diagonally to press the flaps of the sheet against the main body of the sheet. These flaps ultimately form the side flaps F1 and F2 on the hat H shown in FIGS. 3 and 4.

After these flaps are folded, the web travels up over a guide bar 60 extending between the pillars, between it and a squeeze roll 62. The web then travels down a diagonal guide formed by a pair of parallel supports 66 and 68 connected by spaced transverse bars 70 and 72 (FIG. 1). The upper ends of these supports 66 and 68 are threadably engaged to a transverse threaded shaft 76 rotatably mounted between and to pillars 14 and 16. This shaft also has a manual control wheel 80 on one end for rotation thereof and lateral adjustment of the sheet web guide. Mounted to the lower ends of supports 66 and 68 is a pointed folder element 84 having the shape of an isosceles triangle which forms the central crease fold in the web to ultimately form the peak crease H (FIG. 4) in the hat. The web is pulled down over the point and adjacent edges of this triangular member. This entire sheet guide and folder combination are rigidified by diagonal support members 86 and '88, and are retained in their specific diagonal angular relationship by a rearwardly extending horizontal brace bar 90 secured to a fixed plate 92 on its opposite end.

As the folded web is pulled downwardly over the side edges and point of triangular folder '84, it is flattened in its doubled form between pinch rolls 94 and 96 mounted to supports 98 and 100. The slot between these rolls is aligned with the folder point, while the axes of these pinch rolls are at an acute angle to the plane of this triangular fold member 84 to flatten the sides of the hat sheet into a flat member. It is then pulled beneath an underlying roller 102 and over another guide roll 104 to pulling drive rolls 106 and 108. These drive rolls 106 and 108 have a high friction surface such as rubber material. They engage each other to pull the sheet material. These rolls provide the entire pulling force for the web clear back to reel 26.

Preferably, the web material is printed with a series of markings such as the generally U-shaped markings M shown on the hat in FIG. 3. These markings serve decorative purposes on the completed product, but also effectuate an operational control characteristic for the hat production. That is, by positioning a photoelectric eye 110 (FIG. 2) adjacent the web opposite a light source 112, the web can be advanced intermittently through a vertically reciprocating punch press 114 that punches the ventilation openings 0 in the hat (FIG. 3) and the vertically reciprocating fusion sealing and severing press 116 having a heated blade 118. These are operated in controlled sequence at intervals of the web to sever the folded web between these marks, and fuse the severed edges to- O gether to form the completed hats. The reciprocating blade has a relatively dull edge which is pressed against a hard surface such as an aligned fiat metal plate 119' beneath the web. These fusion joints are parallel to each other, transverse to the elongated side edges of the double folded web.

The resulting products is an impervious, nonabsorbent, self-supporting, integral, inexpensive, disposable, polymeric hat of thermoplastic material.

Various additional advantages will occur to those in the art upon studying this foregoing description. Also, it is conceivable that the apparatus, method and hat described herein may be modified in minor ways Without departing from the concept presented. Therefore, the invention is intended to be limited only by the scope of the appended claim and the reasonable equivalents to those defined therein.

We claim:

11. A method of forming disposable plastic headwear caps comprising the steps of: providing a generally continuous, uniform Width, flexible thermoplastic web; pulling the thermoplastic web under tension; forming cap re inforcing flaps by continuously folding both edge portions of the web into overlapping relation with a substantial portion of one face of the web towards the centerline of the web; continuously folding the Web along its centerline and pressing together the resulting centerline straddling portions of the web face opposite said one web face to cause said centerline straddling portions to form the side panels of a flexible cap with the reinforcing flaps on the outside; and repeatedly melt severing the double folded web at spaced intervals along its length, transverse ly of the web centerline, and fusion welding the overlying severed edges together to join the severed portions of said severed edges, forming a plurality of like plastic caps with outside reinforcing flaps.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,718,105 9/ 1955 Ferguson et al 93-8 XR 2,734,431 2/1956 Bartelt 93-8 2,953,976 9/1960 Hahn 93-8 3,058,402 10/1962 Kugler 93-8 3,104,596 9/1963 Bergstein et al. 93-3601 1,806,225 5/ 1931 Vernon 2-200 2,329,539 9/ 194-3 Kingson 2-197 2,859,447 1 1 195 8 DeVillers 2-197 3,292,183 12/ 1966 Story 2-200 FOREIGN PATENTS 962,355 7/ 1964 Great Britain.

JORDAN FRANKLIN, Primary Examiner.

G. H. KRIZMANICH, Assistant Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R. 93-8 

